The present invention relates to the finishing or fitting-out of building space and the like of the type having a generally open plan interior, and in particular to a furniture post that is readily fitted at the installation site.
The finishing or fitting-out of building spaces for offices, medical treatment facilities, and other areas where work is conducted has become a very important aspect of effective space planning and layout. Work patterns, technology, and business organizations are constantly evolving and changing. The building space users require products which facilitate change at lower cost, yet provide the privacy and aesthetic advantages of permanent floor-to-ceiling architectural wall systems. Space planning is no longer a static problem. Changing technology and changing work processes demand that a design and installation be able to support and anticipate change.
These space planning challenges are driven largely by the fact that modern office spaces are becoming increasingly more complicated and sophisticated due to increasing needs of the users for improved utilities support at each workstation or work setting. These xe2x80x9cutilities,xe2x80x9d as the term is used herein, encompass all types of resources that may be used to support or service a worker, such as communications and data used with computers and other types of data processors, telecommunications, electronic displays, etc., electrical power, conditioned water, and physical accommodations, such as lighting, HVAC, sprinklers, security, sound masking, and the like. For example, modern offices for highly skilled xe2x80x9cknowledge workersxe2x80x9d such as engineers, accountants, stock brokers, computer programmers, etc., are typically provided with multiple pieces of very specialized computer and communications equipment that are capable of processing information from numerous local and remote data resources to assist in solving complex problems. Such equipment has very stringent power and signal requirements, and must quickly and efficiently interface with related equipment at both adjacent and remote locations. Work areas with readily controllable lighting, HVAC, sound masking, and other physical support systems are also highly desirable to maximize worker creativity and productivity. Many other types of high technology equipment and facilities are also presently being developed which will need to be accommodated in the work places of the future.
The efficient use of building floor space is also an ever-growing concern, particularly as building costs continue to escalate. Open office plans have been developed to reduce overall office costs, and generally incorporate large, open floor spaces in buildings that are equipped with modular furniture systems, which are readily reconfigurable to accommodate the ever-changing needs of a specific user, as well as the divergent requirements of different tenants. One arrangement commonly used for furniture open plans includes movable partial height partition panels that are detachably interconnected to partition off the open spaces into individual work settings and/or offices. Such partial height partition panels are configured to receive hang-on furniture units, such as worksurfaces, overhead cabinets, shelves, etc., and are generally known in the office furniture industry as xe2x80x9csystems furniture.xe2x80x9d Another arrangement for dividing and/or partitioning open plans involves the use of modular furniture, in which a plurality of differently shaped, complementary freestanding furniture units are positioned in a side-by-side relationship, with upstanding partial height privacy screens available to attach to selected furniture units to create individual, distinct work settings and/or offices. All of these types of modular furniture systems have been widely received due largely to their ability to be readily reconfigured and/or moved to a new site, since they are not part of a permanent leasehold improvement.
In order to gain increased efficiency in the use of expensive office real estate, attempts are now being made to try to support highly paid knowledge workers with these types of modular furniture systems in open office settings, instead of conventional private offices. However, in order to ensure peak efficiency of such knowledge workers, the work settings must be equipped with the various state-of-the-art utilities and facilities discussed above. Since such work settings must be readily reconfigurable to effectively meet ever-changing needs, distribution and control of utilities throughout a comprehensive open office plan has emerged as a major challenge to the office furniture industry. The inherent nature of modular furniture systems, which permits them to be readily reconfigurable into different arrangements, makes it very difficult to achieve adequate utility distribution and control.
Hence, utility distribution and control are fast becoming one of the major issues in office fit-out and furniture. Changing technology is creating greater demands on power and signal distribution networks. Routing power and signal distribution below the floor or in furniture systems often ends up in complex idiosyncratic systems which are difficult to manage or change. Furthermore, due to dimension variations in existing permanent building walls, ceiling, and floors, space-dividing systems must be adaptable to accommodate these variables. There is presently an oversupply of office space and furniture systems which do not properly respond to or support change. Many older buildings do not have adequate utility capabilities, and the cost of conventional renovations or improvements often renders the same impractical. Even relatively new buildings can be quickly rendered obsolete by the fast paced changes in modern technology. The refurbishing of existing building space is therefore a concern which must be addressed by furniture systems.
Furthermore, interiors of the furniture systems should be accessible for routing utility, power or signal distribution systems through the furniture systems. In order to allow adaptability for changing building spaces, furniture systems should be accessible after the a portion of the furniture systems has been set in place. Prior furniture systems have included removable covers and trim for allowing office workers entrance to the interior of the furniture systems in order to reroute or reroute the utility, power or signal distribution systems. Some of these furniture systems, however, included covers and trim that were difficult to set in place upon construction of the furniture system or to realign or set in place once the covers or trim have been removed to route or reroute the systems.
Accordingly, an apparatus solving the aforementioned disadvantages and having the aforementioned advantages is desired.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a partition for spatially dividing open building space and the like including a plurality of frames having adjacent frame ends interconnected by vertically spaced connector brackets to define a post-simulating joint and a trim system for the plurality of frames. The trim system includes a locator bracket and a side trim strip. The locator bracket is shaped to be attached to one of the connector brackets and includes upstanding side walls with outward extending upper tabs. The side trim strip is shaped to enclose an associated open side of the post-simulating joint and includes at least one inwardly protruding top tab, with each top tab mating and abutting at least one of the upper tabs of the locator bracket to positively locate the side trim strip with respect to the adjacent frame ends.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a partition for spatially dividing open building space and the like including a plurality of partition panels having adjacent frame ends. A plurality of connector brackets located at separate discrete locations interconnect adjacent ones of the frame ends to define a post-simulating joint. A vertically elongated trim piece is connected to the connector brackets and includes an outwardly projecting tab. Furthermore, a vertically registering bracket is located within the post-simulating joint. The tab of the trim piece is adapted to vertically overlap a portion of the vertically registering bracket to positively vertically align the trim piece with respect to the adjacent frame ends.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of joining at least one trim piece to a plurality of partition panels having adjacent frame ends includes interconnecting the frame ends of the partition panels at separate discrete locations with at least one connector brackets to thereby define a post-simulating joint. The method also includes registering the at least one side trim piece at a proper vertical location by vertically overlapping a tab of the at least one side trim piece with a portion of a vertically registering bracket located within the post-simulating joint. Furthermore, the method includes securing the at least one side trim piece to the connector brackets.
The principal objects of the present invention include providing an improved trim system for partition panels. The trim system allows the installer of the partition panels to easily locate the trim system in a proper position on a partition panel upon construction of the partition panel. The trim system further allows the trim system to easily be placed in position once the trim system has been removed for access to the interior of the partition system. The trim system can be easily and quickly assembled. The trim system provides simple construction and assembly without tools. The trim system is efficient in use, economical to manufacture, capable of a long operable life, and particularly adapted for the proposed use.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.